Glossary of Terms

Protestant Episcopal Review

A journal which claimed to be conservative and yet progressive, liberal and yet reverent, critical and yet constructive, scholarly and popular, catholic and protestant. It was an outgrowth of two previous publications of the Virginia Theological Seminary. The earlier ancestor was The Seminarian, which was published monthly from Nov. 1878, until July 1887. The second […]

Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, The; Alexandria, Virginia (VTS)

This school, also called the Virginia Theological Seminary, was formed by the Society for the Education of Pious Young Men for the Ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Maryland and Virginia. It opened on Oct. 15, 1823, in a room in St. Paul's Church, Alexandria, with two professors and fourteen students. In 1827 the […]

Protestantism

Western Christianity that is not subject to papal authority. The term is from the protestatio at the Diet of Speyer of 1529 by Lutheran princes against the policies of Charles V that would have practically eliminated the Lutheran territorial churches. The term has positive connotations in the sense of witness and testimony to the truth. […]

Province

1) An internal division of an autonomous national (or multi-national) church of the Anglican Communion. The churches of England and Ireland, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Church of Australia, and the Episcopal Church are all divided into internal provinces. There are two each in England and Ireland, four in Canada, five in Australia, […]

Provincial Synod

The Episcopal Church is divided into nine provinces. Each province has a synod consisting of a House of Bishops and a House of Deputies. These houses sit and deliberate either separately or together. The synod meets on a regular basis as determined by each province. Every bishop having jurisdiction within the province, every bishop coadjutor, […]

Provoost, Samuel

(Feb. 26, 1742-Sept. 6, 1815). First Bishop of New York. He was born in New York City and graduated from King's College (Columbia) in 1758. Later he studied at St. Peter's College, Cambridge. He was ordained deacon on Feb. 3, 1766, and priest on Mar. 25, 1766. Provoost became rector of Trinity Church, New York, […]

Provost

In the Episcopal Church the title has been used to indicate a priest in charge of a cathedral when the bishop is the dean. Historically, the provost was the official next in dignity to the abbot of a monastery. A provost may also be an administrative officer of a college or university.

Puerto Rico, Diocese of

The Puerto Rican ministry of the Diocese of Antigua was transferred to the Episcopal Church on Oct. 5, 1891. The General Convention of 1901 established the Missionary District of Puerto Rico. On Jan. 1, 1980, the Diocese of Puerto Rico became an Extra-Provincial Diocese related to Province Nine of the Episcopal Church.

Pulkingham, William Graham

(Sept. 14, 1926- Apr. 16, 1993). Charismatic leader. He was born in Alliance, Ohio. Pulkingham received his B.A. from the University of Western Ontario and his M.Div. from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in 1957. He was ordained deacon on June 20, 1957, and priest on June 13, 1958. In 1957-1958 he was […]

Purcell, Henry

(1659-Nov. 21, 1695). Outstanding English composer. He was born in London. At age eight Purcell was a chorister in the Chapel Royal. He was appointed an unpaid assistant to the Keeper of the King's Instruments in 1673, after his voice changed. From 1674 to 1678 he tuned the organ of Westminster Abbey. In 1677 Purcell […]

Purgatory

A doctrine traceable to patristic times of a temporary, intermediate state between heaven and hell. As developed in the Roman Catholic Church, purgatory is a state or place of hope and anticipation. Venial sins are cleansed, and temporal punishment is completed for forgiven sins. Article XXII of the Articles of Religion states that the “Romish […]

Purification of Women (after childbirth)

The title given in the 1549 BCP to the rite commonly called the Churching of Women. It is derived from the Sarum rite. Its ultimate source is the Jewish rite of purification, and the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lk 2:22-39). St. Augustine of Canterbury mentions the existence of this Christian rite. In the […]

Purification, Feast of the

See Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple, The.

Puritanism

The term has become an epithet without precise meaning. At one time it described a reform movement in the Church of England during the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It sought to carry the English Reformation beyond the stage reached in the reign of Elizabeth I. In this sense the term was first applied to […]

Pusey Report

See Ministry for Tomorrow; see Board for Theological Education (BTE).

Pusey, Edward Bouverie

(Aug. 22, 1800-Sept. 16, 1882). Tractarian leader. He was born at Pusey, Berkshire, England, and received his B.A. in 1822 and his M.A. in 1825 from Christ Church College, Oxford. In 1824 he became a fellow at Oriel College, Oxford, where he became closely associated with John Henry Newman and John Keble. Pusey was ordained […]

Puseyism

” See Tracts for the Times.

Pyx (or Pix)

A small round container or box for consecrated bread that is taken to those who cannot be present for the Eucharist at church. During the first centuries of the church, Christians carried home portions of the consecrated bread from the Sunday Eucharist to communicate themselves. The carried the bread in small boxes of wood, ivory […]

An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms